Level and drainage projection instrument



9 E. T. KEMP 2,065,530

LEVEL AND DRAINAGE PROJECTION INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 21, 1935 Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEVEL AND DRAINAGE PROJECTION INSTRUMENT 2 Claims.

The invention relates to an instrument of the type resembling surveying instruments but designed for production at a very reasonable cost, and adapted to be used by persons not familiar 5 with the profession of surveying to enable projecting levels and also inclination for the purpose of drainage and the like, the instrument being extremely simple in construction and requiring a minimum of practice to enable the operator to 10 successfully use the instrument.

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be found illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a rear view in elevation of the level 15 and drain-age projecting instrument showing the supporting tripod fragmentarily,

Figure 2 is an end view in elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top plan view, and

20 Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on a plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in which similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts in all the views, the instrument is 25 provided with the conventional tripod head I!) having blades I l on which are pivotally mounted the legs of the tripod support I2, said legs being bifurcated at their upper ends as shown at I3 to receive the blades ll and to be pivotally mounted 3 thereon by means of bolts or pivot pins M.

The head l0 extends above the upper edges of the blades II as shown at l5, and has its upper edge curved as shown at [6. Pivotally mounted on the extension I5 is a U-shaped member ll 35 by means of a pivot pin or bolt l8, said U- shaped member having upwardly extending and spaced arms l8. Said U-shaped member and the upwardly extending arms l8 are preferably made in one piece of relatively thin metal 40 and the metal may be of resilient type to permit the sides of the U-shaped member being pressed inwardly against the extension l5 when a part is adjusted thereon, by tightening the nut on the bolt 18, and the arms l8 may also be tightened on the part to be hereinafter described to hold said part in its adjusted position relatively to the arms.

A table member is mounted between the arms l8 and consists of a T-shaped structure as clearly shown in Figure 3 having a rearwardly extending portion 20 that is mounted between the arms I8 on a pivot pin or bolt 2|. Secured at one end of the rearwardly extending portion 20 55 are laterally extending arms 22, said portions 26 and arms 22 forming a substantially T-shaped table member as hereinbefore described.

The parts 20 and 22 are held together by means of straps 23 and angle braces or straps 24 so that the top edges of the portions 20 and 22 5' will be on the same level.

To enable ascertaining whether the table portion I9 is level after it is set up on the tripod base as hereinbefore described, spirit level elements 25 are provided in each of the arms 22 and in 10: portion 26, it being apparent that by moving the portion 20 on the pivot pin 2| the level may be obtained in one direction as indicated by the level elements 25 in said portion 20, and then by adjusting the table on the other pin [8 the level may be obtained in the direction transverse to the level already secured through movement on the pivot pin 2|, and when a proper level has been obtained, the three level elements 25 should simultaneously indicate zero on the level instrument.

At opposite ends of the arms 22 are secured upright supporting members 26 having openings 21 therein at selected distances from the upper edge of the arms 22, and secured in the uppermost of 25 said openings 21 and connecting the members 26 is a thread 28, said thread being parallel with the upper surf-ace of the table member [9, that is of the arms 22. Also connected to the members 26 are other threads that are inclined to the 30 level of the surface of the table l9, and as shown in the drawing, one of said threads designated 29, is secured in the left hand member 26 at the same point as the thread 28, the other end of said thread 29 being secured on the member 26 in the opposite end of the table at a distance below the point of connection of the thread 28, this distance being determined by the fall necessary for drainage of the land to be surveyed. There is also shown a third thread 30 that 40 inclines in the opposite direction to the thread 29 connecting the two members 26, and may be as shown in the drawing connected to one member 26 at the same point as the lower end of the thread 29, and to the opposite member 26 adjacent to the upper surface of the table H3, or any other position may be used for this thread as may be found necessary for the purpose for which the instrument is to be used.

Secured to the free end of the portion 20 of the table is an upright member 3| that has openings 32 therein that are used as sight openings by the user of the instrument, the operator utilizing the threads 28, 29 or 30, as the case may be or any other arrangement of threads that might be substituted therefor to obtain the drainage of the land that is surveyed by means of the instrument.

The tripod head I0 is provided with the usual plumb-bob 33 hung on the cord 34 therefrom for use in setting up the tripod.

It will be apparent that by using the uppermost sight opening 32 in the member 3|, the condition of the land being surveyed by means of the instrument as to level may be readily determined by using a conventional surveyorsrod or other like implement for marking the land as it is surveyed, and the land may also be marked by means of the surveyors rod by sighting on the thread 29 to drain the land from position to the left of the instrument downwardly toward the right, or if drainage is to be obtained in the opposite direction then the position of the thread 29 must be altered accordingly. The lowermost opening 32 in the member 3| may be used for sighting along the thread 30 for drainage in the opposite direction from the lowermost point where surveyed by using the thread 29.

It will also be understood that the contour of a terrace, levee, dam or the like, may be instantaneously projected either for a level or on an incline by means of the instrument and pegs be driven by an assistant as directed by the surveyor to indicate the lines projected without the necessity of use of a surveyors rod as above stated. Also that preliminary surveys for contour lines or for inspections for repairs or alterations can be made by the surveyor without assistance. Furthermore that the definite, fixed location of the instantaneous projection is a safeguard against errors. For convenience, begin surveys from levels below the lines to be traced stationing the instrument below the line of the desired survey.

What is claimed is:

1. A level and drainage projecting instrument, comprising a table having aligned portions and a lateral portion extending therefrom midway of the outer end of the aligned portion, means connected to said lateral portion mounting said table to swing it on pivots arranged at right angles to one another, an upright arm on said lateral portion having a sight opening therein, upright arms on said aligned portions and spaced from one another, a thread connecting the last mentioned arms and arranged parallel to the table top, and another thread connecting said last mentioned arms and secured to one of said arms at a point coincident with the first mentioned thread and secured to the other upright at a point below said parallel thread.

2. A level and drainage projecting instrument, comprising a table having aligned portions and a lateral portion extending therefrom at a location mid-way of the ends of the aligned portions, means connected to said lateral portion mounting said table to swing it on pivots arranged at right-angles to one another,- an upright arm on said lateral portion having a sight opening therein, upright arms on said aligned portions spaced from one another, and a thread connecting the last mentioned arms.

EDGAR T. KEMP. 

